In a country where events are turning ugly between thick layers of partisanship, the death of the president-elect’s son on Monday has unleashed an outpouring of sorrow.

Habib Barrow, the 8-year-old son of President-elect Adama Barrow, just days before his inauguration, died after being bitten by a dog.

In a brief post, a spokesperson for the president-elect confirmed the death of the young Barrow.

Habib Barrow was laid to rest this afternoon and the president-elect was unable to attend. Mr, Barrow missed his son’s funeral as he was advised to remain in Senegal for his safety after attending a summit in Bamako, Mali with more than 30 other African leaders.

Condolences to the Barrow family and Gambian people echoed the sense of deep sadness for the president-elect and the difficult political uncertainty the country is faced with.

The surge of reaction on social media is a virtual testament to tough times the Gambia is facing. The Gambia going into war means many more children, Habib’s age would die.

That seemed to make the loss harder to accept, but the fact the dog that attacked him had bit him in the head makes it harder to comprehend.

For some, however, it is a test of fate citing the death of President Barack Obama’s grandmother the day he won elections and the death of VP Joe Biden’s family just six weeks after he was first elected to public office.

And for Mr. Barrow, he must also reflect at length about the tragedies that he had endured and the ways in which they can make him stronger.